[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2013.12.03"]
[Round "?"]
[White "The Nimzo-Larsen Attack"]
[Black "Recent Ideas for White"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "A01"]
[Annotator "Illingworth,Max"]
[PlyCount "155"]
[EventDate "2013.??.??"]
{It has been a while since I provided a mini-survey on an opening for the blog,
so I will show you some interesting ideas to cause practical problems for the
opponent with} 1. b3 {, the Nimzo-Larsen Attack. Objectively this move isn't
as good as the main lines, but it leads to fresh positions and in blitz and
rapid it can be quite effective in leading the opponent into a strategic
battle they haven't familiarised themselves with, or even a tactical melee
where White will probably know the theory better.} e5 {The most common and
probably best move.} (1... g6 2. Bb2 Nf6 {gives White a reasonable choice of
options but I like} 3. Bxf6 exf6 4. c4 {, heading towards a nice sort of
Trompowsky position (which would normally arise with 1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 g6?! 3.
Bxf6 exf6). I'll refer you to that Trompowsky theory on how to handle this
type of position.} Bg7 ({Note that} 4... d5 5. cxd5 Qxd5 6. Nc3 Qa5 7. a3 $1 {
followed by b4 gives White nice queenside play and a strong central majority.
So against a King's Indian player it is quite effective to play 1.b3!}) 5. Nc3
f5 6. Rc1 O-O 7. g3 Re8 8. Bg2 f4 9. gxf4 Qh4 10. Kf1 Bxc3 11. Rxc3 Qxf4 12. h4
d6 13. h5 Nc6 14. Nh3 Qd4 15. e3 Qf6 16. Nf4 Ne7 17. Qf3 Qg5 18. Bh3 c6 19.
hxg6 hxg6 20. Bxc8 Raxc8 21. Nh5 f5 22. Rd3 Kf7 23. Nf4 Rcd8 24. Rh7+ Kf6 25.
Qd1 {1-0 (25) Jobava,B (2711)-Mamedyarov,S (2764) Beijing CHN 2012}) (1... d6
2. Bb2 e5 {is another serious option, building a dark-squared center to
blunten the b2-bishop. I've tried this approach myself but am no longer so
convinced of it because of} 3. e3 ({Kamsky played a Hippo with} 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2
Bg7 5. e3 Nf6 6. Ne2 O-O 7. d3 Nc6 8. Nd2 {but this approach isn't for
everyone and I think 3.e3 is more flexible.} Be6 9. h3 Qd7 10. g4 Rfe8 11. Ng3
h6 12. a3 a5 13. Qe2 d5 14. Nf3 d4 15. g5 Nd5 16. Ne4 Qe7 17. h4 h5 18. Bh3 Nd8
19. Nfd2 b6 20. Qf3 Qd7 21. Kf1 Rc8 22. Kg2 c5 23. a4 Rc6 24. Nc4 Rf8 25. Qg3
Bxh3+ 26. Qxh3 Re6 27. Rhg1 Qc6 28. Kh2 Nb4 29. Rac1 Rfe8 30. Rg2 R8e7 31. Qf3
Kf8 32. Qe2 Qc7 33. Kh1 Ndc6 34. Rf1 Re8 35. Ba3 Ne7 36. Kg1 Nf5 37. Rh2 Qc6
38. Bxb4 cxb4 39. Qf3 Rd8 40. Kg2 Ke7 41. Rh3 Kf8 42. Ned2 Qxf3+ 43. Kxf3 Rc6
44. Ke2 Rd7 45. e4 Ne7 46. f4 exf4 47. Rxf4 Re6 48. Kf2 Nc8 49. Rhf3 Rc7 50.
Kg2 Na7 51. Rf2 Ke8 52. Nf3 Rd7 53. Ng1 Rb7 54. Ne2 Nc6 55. R4f3 Rb8 56. Nf4
Re7 57. Nd5 Rd7 58. Ndxb6 Rc7 59. Nd5 Rd7 60. Nf6+ Bxf6 61. Rxf6 Nd8 62. Nxa5
Rc8 63. Nc4 Nb7 64. Nb6 {1-0 (64) Kamsky,G (2762)-Giri,A (2720) Beijing CHN
2012}) 3... Nf6 (3... f5 4. d4 e4 5. d5 $1 {White will follow Nh3-f4 with a
promising position because of his better pieces. The e6 square is constantly
an issue for Black.}) 4. c4 c6 5. d4 Nbd7 (5... exd4 6. Qxd4 Be7 {may be
preferable, though I like White here as well.}) 6. Nf3 Qe7 7. Be2 g6 8. c5 $5 {
This isn't forced but the resulting structure seems to be slightly in White's
favour as he will gain a central majority and a nice reverse French position.}
exd4 9. cxd6 Qxd6 10. exd4 Nb6 11. O-O Bf5 12. Re1 O-O-O 13. Nbd2 Nbd5 14. Nc4
Qc7 15. a3 g5 16. b4 Kb8 17. Nfe5 Nf4 18. Rc1 N6d5 19. Na5 Rd6 20. Bg4 Bxg4 21.
Qxg4 Bg7 22. g3 f5 23. Qxf5 Rf8 24. Nexc6+ bxc6 25. Qxf8+ Bxf8 26. Re8+ Qc8 27.
Rxc8+ Kxc8 28. gxf4 Kd7 29. fxg5 Rg6 30. h4 h6 31. Kf1 hxg5 32. hxg5 Be7 33.
Nc4 Bd6 34. Ne5+ Bxe5 35. dxe5 Rxg5 36. Rc4 Rh5 37. Kg2 Rg5+ 38. Kf3 Rg1 39.
Rc1 Rg8 40. Bd4 Ra8 41. Ke4 Rf8 42. e6+ {1-0 (42) Burmakin,V (2581)-Haub,T
(2455) Sautron FRA 2013}) ({After} 1... c5 2. Bb2 Nc6 {Black wants to play ...
e5 and again cut out our b2-bishop. Now it is quite interesting to play} 3. e4
$5 {transposing to the b3 Sicilian. Indeed even Kramnik used this recently to
good effect:} e5 (3... Nf6 4. e5 Nd5 {looks like a good version of an Alekhine
as in that opening White almost never plays b3/Bb2. But White also can't
complain after say} 5. Nf3 d6 6. Bb5 Bd7 7. exd6 e6 8. O-O Nf6 9. Bxc6 Bxc6 10.
Ne5 Qxd6 11. Na3 {and White is slightly better because of his strong grip on
e5. This isn't best play for Black, just a typical example of what White is
aiming for.}) 4. Bc4 d6 5. d3 Nf6 6. Ne2 Be7 7. Nbc3 Nd4 8. O-O O-O 9. f4 {
(once White breaks with f4 in this structure he is doing quite well; Black
never really patches up d5 completely)} a6 10. a4 b6 11. Nd5 Rb8 12. fxe5 dxe5
13. Ng3 Nxd5 14. Bxd5 Bh4 15. Qh5 Bf6 16. c4 g6 17. Qd1 Bg7 18. Ra2 Qe7 19. Bc3
Be6 20. Raf2 b5 21. axb5 axb5 22. Kh1 h5 23. Bxd4 exd4 24. Nf5 gxf5 25. exf5
bxc4 26. f6 Qd6 27. fxg7 Kxg7 28. bxc4 Bxd5 29. Qxh5 f5 30. cxd5 Qg6 31. Qh4
Rbe8 32. Rf3 Re3 33. Rxe3 dxe3 34. Qe7+ Rf7 35. Qxe3 f4 36. Qe5+ Qf6 37. Qxf6+
Rxf6 38. g3 f3 39. Kg1 Rf5 40. d6 Kf6 41. Kf2 Ke5 42. Re1+ Kxd6 43. Re3 {1-0
(43) Kramnik,V (2784)-Kobalia,M (2651) Tromso NOR 2013}) (1... b6 2. Bb2 Bb7 3.
e3 e6 {goes via. the idea that if you can't beat them, join them!} 4. Nc3 $5 {
This and Jobava's subsequent piece setup is very interesting indeed.} (4. Nf3
Nf6 5. c4 Be7 6. Nc3 O-O 7. Be2 {is the more orthodox continuation, with a
normal middlegame after} c5 8. O-O d5 9. cxd5 Nxd5 10. d4 {.}) 4... c5 5. Nge2
(5. f4 $5 d5 6. Nf3 {followed by Bb5 would be perhaps the objectively best
interpretation of White's setup, though White has more an interesting position
than a real edge.}) 5... Nf6 6. d4 Be7 7. Qd2 O-O 8. O-O-O Nc6 9. d5 exd5 10.
Nxd5 Nxd5 11. Qxd5 Bf6 12. Nc3 Qb8 13. Qf5 Rd8 14. Bd3 Kf8 15. Qxh7 d5 16. Kb1
Ne5 17. Ba6 Bxa6 18. Nxd5 Rxd5 19. Rxd5 Ng6 20. Bxf6 gxf6 21. h4 Qe8 22. h5 Ne5
23. f4 Ng4 24. Rhd1 Bb5 25. h6 Nf2 26. Rd8 Nxd1 27. Rxa8 {1-0 (27) Jobava,B
(2711)-Giri,A (2720) Beijing CHN 2012}) (1... Nf6 2. Bb2 e6 {is a solid
response, but then White can aim for a good version of a Bird's Opening with}
3. f4 {as normally in the Bird's Opening Black doesn't want to shut in her
light-squared bishop with ...e6, preferring to play ...g6/...Bg7. Black tried
to solve this problem with} b5 $5 {when} 4. Nf3 Bb7 5. d3 (5. e3 b4 6. Be2 {
was more normal and probably better.}) 5... d5 (5... Bxf3 $1 6. exf3 Nc6 {
leaves White with some serious structural problems and a lack of harmony in
her position.}) 6. e3 a6 7. Nbd2 Bc5 8. Qe2 Nbd7 9. h3 Bb6 10. g4 {gave White
some attacking chances in a balanced position, but Black had better earlier.}
O-O 11. Rg1 a5 12. h4 a4 13. h5 c5 14. h6 a3 15. Be5 Nxe5 16. fxe5 Nd7 17. hxg7
Kxg7 18. Qh2 Rh8 19. g5 Ba5 20. Qh6+ Kg8 21. d4 Qf8 22. Qh5 Qg7 23. O-O-O Kf8
24. Bh3 Ke7 25. Nf1 Raf8 26. N1h2 Kd8 27. Ng4 Kc7 28. Kb1 Bc6 29. Nf6 h6 30. g6
Kb6 31. gxf7 Qxf7 32. Qxf7 Rxf7 33. Bxe6 Rxf6 34. exf6 Nxf6 35. Rg6 Rf8 36. Ne5
Be8 37. Rxh6 Kc7 38. dxc5 Ne4 39. Rg1 Bc3 40. Rh7+ Kb8 41. Nd3 Bg6 42. Rh6 Nd2+
43. Kc1 Bxd3 44. cxd3 Nxb3+ 45. Kc2 Nxc5 46. Kxc3 {1-0 (46) Khotenashvili,B
(2504)-Zhao Xue (2565) Beijing CHN 2012}) (1... d5 {is Black's main
alternative and we'll look at it next week.}) 2. Bb2 {Here White's extra tempo
compared to the Owen's Defence (1.e4 b6) is quite important as Black isn't
able to set up the ideal ...d5/...Bd6 in time.} Nc6 3. e3 Nf6 {This is Black's
most flexible and probably most practical move. Black intends to just develop
his kingside normally.} (3... g6 {is already inaccurate because of} 4. f4 Bg7
5. Bb5 Nge7 6. Nf3 d6 7. fxe5 O-O 8. O-O Bg4 9. Nc3 {and now I fractionally
prefer White even after the correct 9...Nxe5 (because of White's central
majority), though this was better than} dxe5 (9... Nxe5 10. Be2 Bxf3 11. Bxf3
c6 12. Be2 {seems easier for White to play.}) 10. h3 Bf5 11. Ba3 {which
definitely gave White pressure.} h6 12. Bxc6 bxc6 13. e4 Bc8 14. Qe2 a5 15. Qf2
f6 16. Na4 Kh7 17. Qc5 Re8 18. Rad1 Ng8 19. Qxc6 Bd7 20. Qc4 Rb8 21. Nc3 Be6
22. Qe2 f5 23. Qf2 Nf6 24. exf5 Bxf5 25. d3 Qc8 26. Nd2 c6 27. Nce4 Bxe4 28.
Nxe4 Nxe4 29. dxe4 Rb7 30. Qc5 Rd7 31. Qxa5 Rxd1 32. Rxd1 Qb7 33. Qb4 Qa6 34.
Rd7 Qe2 35. Qb7 Rg8 36. Qxc6 Qe3+ 37. Kh1 h5 38. Qf6 Qe1+ 39. Kh2 Qxe4 40. Bf8
Qf4+ 41. Qxf4 exf4 42. Rxg7+ Rxg7 43. Bxg7 Kxg7 44. a4 {1-0 (44) Pap,G (2569)
-Szamoskozi,G (2368) Decs HUN 2013}) (3... Nge7 4. Ne2 (4. Nf3 e4 5. Ng1 $5 {
is very interesting, giving up two tempi to lure Black's centre forward and
attack it with d3 and Nd2. Then the e7-knight is not so well placed and} d5 6.
d3 f5 $6 {(too ambitious)} 7. Qh5+ Ng6 8. Nc3 {followed by 0-0-0 and dxe4
could even favour White significantly. If Black doesn't play ...e4, White can
go for a quick d4.}) 4... d5 5. d4 f6 6. Nbc3 Be6 7. Qd2 Qd7 8. O-O-O O-O-O 9.
Kb1 Kb8 {was about equal, and White's subsequent win definitely wasn't in the
normal scheme of play.} 10. Na4 b6 11. h4 Nf5 12. dxe5 fxe5 13. g3 Bb4 14. Qc1
Qf7 15. Bg2 Nfe7 16. Rhf1 Rhf8 17. a3 Bd6 18. Nac3 Qh5 19. Rd2 Bg4 20. Qe1 Bf3
21. Bxf3 Qxf3 22. Qd1 Bc5 23. Re1 g6 24. b4 Bd6 25. Nb5 a6 26. Nxd6 Rxd6 27.
Nc3 Kc8 28. Kc1 Rdd8 29. Rh1 Qxd1+ 30. Kxd1 e4 31. Rh2 Ne5 32. Re2 Nf3 33. Rh1
Nf5 34. Kc1 c6 35. Na4 Kc7 36. h5 g5 37. h6 Nd6 38. Bg7 Rf7 39. Nb2 b5 40. a4
Nf5 41. axb5 axb5 42. c3 Nxg7 {1-0 (42) Jobava,B (2711)-Ivanchuk,V (2766)
Beijing CHN 2012}) (3... d5 4. Bb5 Bd6 {is the main alternative, and in fact
if Black's c7-pawn were on c5 we would have a position from the English
Defence (1.d4 e6 2.c4 b6)! This probably doesn't change the evaluation of the
position; unclear but both sides should be prepared! For instance,} 5. f4 (5.
Nf3 {followed by d4/c4 can be suggested if you wish to avoid very sharp
variations early in the opening.}) 5... Qh4+ (5... Qe7 6. Nf3 Bg4 7. fxe5 Bxf3
$2 8. exd6 Bxd1 9. dxe7 {was embarrassing for Black, and an example of how
easily an unprepared opponent can flounder in this variation.} Ngxe7 10. Kxd1
O-O 11. Nc3 Rad8 12. Ne2 a6 13. Bxc6 Nxc6 14. Rf1 Rfe8 15. Ng3 d4 16. Bxd4 Nxd4
17. exd4 Rxd4 18. d3 {1-0 (18) Romero Holmes,A (2522)-Koban,M (1981) Pula CRO
2013}) 6. g3 Qe7 7. Nf3 f6 8. Nc3 $5 (8. fxe5 fxe5 9. Bxc6+ bxc6 10. Nxe5 {is
a pawn grab because of Qh5, but after} Nf6 {Black's position is extremely easy
to play while White must defend for a long time.}) 8... d4 9. Nd5 Qf7 10. fxe5
fxe5 11. O-O {A blunder.} (11. c4 $1 dxc3 12. Nxc3 {instead looked quite
decent for White with pressure on the e5-pawn and a nice outpost on e4, though
after} Nf6 {Black can also play.}) 11... Qxd5 12. Bc4 Qa5 13. Ng5 Nh6 14. Qh5+
Kd8 15. Rf7 Qxd2 16. Raf1 Qxe3+ 17. Kg2 Bg4 18. Qh4 Kc8 19. Rxg7 Rf8 20. Bc1
Qc3 21. Nf7 Qxc2+ 22. Kg1 Nxf7 23. Qxg4+ Kb8 24. Rgxf7 Re8 25. Qe6 Rd8 26. Bg5
a6 27. R7f2 Qc3 28. Bxd8 Nxd8 29. Qd7 Nc6 30. Qxh7 Ka7 31. Kg2 Nb4 32. a3 Nc6
33. Qe4 Bxa3 34. h4 Rh8 35. Rf3 Qa5 36. Kh3 Bd6 37. Rf7 Qd2 38. R1f6 Qb4 39.
Rd7 Na5 40. Bd5 Qb5 41. Rdf7 Rd8 42. Rf3 Bb4 43. Bc4 Nxc4 44. bxc4 Qxc4 45. g4
Qd5 46. Qxd5 Rxd5 47. g5 d3 48. Rf1 e4 49. g6 e3 50. g7 Rd8 51. Rxc7 e2 52.
Rff7 Kb6 53. Rxb7+ Ka5 54. Rbd7 e1=Q 55. Rxd8 Qe6+ 56. Kg3 Bd6+ 57. Kg2 Qg6+
58. Kh3 {0-1 (58) Jobava,B (2711)-Nakamura,H (2760) Beijing CHN 2012}) 4. Bb5 (
4. c4 {is a reasonable choice for a Sicilian player, but after} d5 5. cxd5 Nxd5
6. a3 Bd6 {White will have to give up his extra tempo at some point with b3-b4,
reaching a normal Sicilian Kan position. If you play this opening as Black
that could be OK but otherwise 4.Bb5 will probably suit you better.}) 4... Bd6
{This move looks funny but is highly logical, guarding the e5-pawn and
eliminating the threat of Bxc6 as now ...dxc6 leaves Black with very
harmonious development. But otherwise the bishop is silly on b5.} 5. Na3 $1 {
It is best to meet one strange move with another! White wants to play Nc4 and
attack the d6-bishop. Winning the bishop pair would be a definite achievement
for White here.} Na5 {This in turn takes the sting out of Nc4 and prepares ...
a6 to boot the b5-bishop away.} (5... e4 {was Aronian's choice and it is very
reasonable indeed.} 6. Ne2 (6. Nc4 Be7 7. Bxc6 bxc6 {is also nothing to fear
for Black.}) 6... Be5 7. Qc1 O-O 8. h3 (8. Bxc6 Bxb2 9. Qxb2 dxc6 {is the
engine suggestion but it is far from easy to break down the advanced e4-pawn
which ties White up. Also the a3-knight is a bit out of play here.}) 8... Qe7
9. Bxc6 Bxb2 10. Qxb2 dxc6 11. O-O-O a5 12. Nc3 b5 13. Nab1 a4 14. b4 a3 15.
Nxa3 c5 16. bxc5 b4 17. Qxb4 Bd7 18. Nab1 Rfb8 19. Qd4 Be6 20. d3 c6 21. Nd2
exd3 22. cxd3 Qb7 23. Nb3 Rxa2 24. Nxa2 Qxb3 25. Qa1 Qa3+ 26. Kd2 Rb2+ 27. Ke1
Rxa2 28. Qd4 h6 29. Kf1 Qb3 30. Ra1 Qc2 31. e4 Rxa1+ 32. Qxa1 Qxd3+ 33. Kg1
Nxe4 34. Qa8+ Kh7 35. Qxc6 Bd5 36. Qd7 Nxf2 37. c6 Nxh1 38. c7 Qe4 39. Qxd5
Qxd5 40. c8=Q Ng3 {0-1 (40) Jobava,B (2711)-Aronian,L (2815) Beijing CHN 2012})
(5... Be7 6. Nc4 d6 7. Bxc6+ bxc6 8. Ne2 O-O 9. O-O c5 {is objectively just
equal, but the position is quite juicy in complexity and Jobava went on to
defeat his higher rated opponent.} 10. d4 {Sometimes the best way to exploit
the weakness of the doubled pawns is to undouble them! In this way we can
often more easily exploit the weak squares left behind by their exchange.} exd4
11. exd4 Ba6 12. Na5 Qd7 13. Re1 Qb5 14. Nc4 Rae8 15. Ne3 Ne4 16. c4 Qd7 17.
dxc5 Nxc5 18. Ng3 {Already White has a very pleasant advantage with Ngf5 in
the air.} Bd8 19. h3 Bb7 20. Ngf5 f6 21. b4 Na4 22. Bd4 Nb6 23. c5 Nd5 24. Qg4
Kh8 25. cxd6 cxd6 26. Nxd5 Bxd5 27. Ne3 Be6 28. Qf3 Bb6 29. Bxb6 axb6 30. a4
Ra8 31. Qe4 f5 32. Qf4 Bg8 33. b5 Bb3 34. Ra3 Qf7 35. Rb1 Be6 36. Rd1 d5 37.
Rc3 Qa7 38. Qe5 Rf6 39. Rd4 Raf8 40. Rc6 f4 41. Rc7 Qb8 42. Rxf4 Qxc7 43. Qxc7
Rxf4 44. Qxb6 Bg8 45. a5 d4 46. Ng4 R4f5 47. a6 Rd5 48. a7 d3 49. Ne3 d2 50.
Kh2 d1=Q 51. Nxd1 Rxd1 52. Qc7 Rdd8 53. b6 Ra8 54. Qd6 Rfe8 55. Qc5 {1-0 (55)
Jobava,B (2694)-Jakovenko,D (2719) Rhodes GRE 2013}) 6. Be2 a6 7. c4 {Now it
makes more sense to make this move as we vacate the c2-square for the
a3-knight and Black can't easily break with ...d5. It's a common feature in
this variation for both sides to have dodgy development.} (7. Nf3 Qe7 8. Nb1
O-O 9. d4 exd4 10. Nxd4 Be5 11. Nc3 {occurred in two games of Jobava, with one
win and one loss. Here's his win:} b5 (11... Nc6 12. O-O Rd8 13. Nf3 d6 {is
equal, though admittedly it's not easy for White to find a natural plan. It
would be much better if his c-pawn was on c4.}) 12. Nf3 Bb7 13. Nxe5 Qxe5 14.
Bf3 Qf5 15. Bxb7 Nxb7 16. O-O Rfe8 17. Ne2 Nc5 18. f3 d6 19. e4 Qg5 20. Ng3
Rad8 21. Nf5 Ne6 22. g4 Qf4 23. Qe1 Ng5 24. Kg2 Ne6 25. Rd1 Nd7 26. h4 f6 27.
Kh1 g6 28. Bc1 Qe5 29. Nh6+ Kg7 30. g5 b4 31. Ng4 Qc3 32. Qf2 h5 33. Rd3 Qa1
34. gxf6+ Kh7 35. Qd2 Ndf8 36. f7 {1-0 (36) Jobava,B (2710)-Andriasian,Z (2604)
Fujairah City UAE 2012}) 7... O-O 8. Nc2 Nc6 {Now the normal continuation is 9.
d4, but in three recent games White has actually gone for a quick g4!} 9. d3 ({
or} 9. g4 b5 10. g5 Ne4 11. h4 Bb7 12. Bf3 f5 13. d3 Nc5 14. Bd5+ Kh8 15. d4
exd4 16. exd4 Re8+ 17. Kf1 Ne4 18. c5 Bf8 19. Ne2 d6 20. Nf4 g6 21. Bxc6 {1-0
(21) Petrosian,T (2659)-Vishnu,P (2463) Fujairah City UAE 2012. Probably the
attack wasn't completely sound but it forced Black to find accurate replies
and he didn't succeed.}) 9... Re8 10. g4 h6 11. h4 Nh7 12. Nf3 Bf8 13. e4 (13.
g5 $1 hxg5 14. hxg5 Nxg5 15. Kd2 $1 {is very strong, intending Qg1!-h2 with a
very strong kingside attack. However you need to be a Houdini or Morozevich to
see this sort of idea!}) 13... Bc5 14. Nxe5 Nxe5 15. d4 Bd6 16. dxe5 Bxe5 17.
Bxe5 Rxe5 18. f3 d6 19. Qd2 Nf8 20. Bd3 b5 21. Kf2 Qf6 22. Kg3 bxc4 23. Bxc4
Be6 24. Ne3 Bxc4 25. Nxc4 Rc5 26. Qf4 Qe7 27. Rad1 a5 28. Rd5 Rxd5 29. exd5 a4
30. b4 Qe2 31. a3 Re8 32. Rc1 Ng6 33. Qd2 Qe7 34. Rh1 Qf6 35. h5 Ne5 36. Qe3
Re7 37. Re1 Ng6 38. hxg6 Rxe3 39. gxf7+ Qxf7 40. Nxe3 Qe7 41. Kf2 Qe5 42. Nf5
Qh2+ 43. Kf1 g6 44. Nd4 Kf7 45. Nc6 Kf6 46. Re2 Qg3 47. Re6+ Kg5 48. Ke2 Qg2+
49. Ke3 Qg1+ 50. Ke2 Kf4 51. Re4+ Kg3 52. Re3 Qf2+ 53. Kd3 Qa2 54. Ke4 Qc2+ 55.
Rd3 Qe2+ 56. Re3 Qc2+ 57. Rd3 h5 58. Nd4 Qb1 59. gxh5 gxh5 60. f4+ Kg4 61. f5
Kg5 62. Ke3 Qe1+ 63. Kf3 h4 64. Re3 Qh1+ 65. Kf2 Qh2+ 66. Ke1 Qh1+ 67. Kf2 Qxd5
68. Nf3+ Kxf5 69. Nxh4+ Kf6 70. Nf3 Qa2+ 71. Ke1 c5 72. bxc5 dxc5 73. Nd2 Kf5
74. Kd1 Qa1+ 75. Kc2 Qa2+ 76. Kc1 Qa1+ 77. Kc2 Qa2+ 78. Kc1 {1/2-1/2 (78)
Petrosian,T (2663)-Kanter,E (2408) Dubai UAE 2013 Summary: Theoretically 1. b3
is not at all dangerous for Black, but over-the-board it leads to quite
original and complex positions and this makes it an effective weapon in blitz
and rapid (provided you have learned it properly). Of all the lines here, my
favourite for Black is 1.b3 e5 2.Bb2 Nc6 3.e3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Bd6 followed by 5.Na3
e4 as played by Aronian.} *